Research & Strategy
The first stage of product planning took the form of intensive discovery research conducted over a 6-week period with users, stakeholders, and subject matter experts (SMEs).
From these findings, I was able to present a clear picture of the current marketplace, how it was being served, and where ISM had the ability to deliver value in an unprecedented way.
Once research was condensed into easy-to- reference deliverables, I guided the newly- formed team through the product planning process to determine version release goals and set timeframes for completion.
Deliverables Included:
- UX Discovery Research Reports & Presentation.
- Detailed Personas.
- User-Story Map & Delivery Plan.
- “Vertical” Analysis.
- Technical Specifications.
Personas & “Vertical Integration” Analysis - In addition to specific project deliverables, an on-going analysis of ISM’s market “vertical” was produced to elicit stakeholder feedback, keep project teams aware of how their work tied in to other areas of the company, and help direct limited resources to where they could be most profitably used.
User-Story Maps & Process-Flows - For purely digital products we were able to chart our content & functional requirements across a shared user-story map, while for more complex multi-touchpoint solutions we would use broad process flows to understand the components and their interactions before moving on to the specifics.
Design
Once research and product planning were completed, we determined the optimal UX strategic approach for each project and began the process of gearing-up each team to work co-operatively according to that strategy.
A wide range of deliverables, including wireframes, interactive demos/prototypes, and a comprehensive style guide were produced and shared with stakeholders so that they could stay abreast of our progress.
Deliverables Included:
- Information Architecture & User-Flows.
- Wireframes.
- Interactive Prototypes.
- Live Demos.
Information Architecture & User-Flows - Card-sorting was used with each general type of user (i.e. parents/students, educators, support staff, etc.) to design a unified information architecture. From there we could chart a user’s likely path through the application, and populate each step with the needed content/functionality.
Wireframes, Responsive Prototypes, & Live Demos -After rough sketches were reviewed by the team, refined wireframes were produced and turned into interactive prototypes for usability-testing. For multi-touchpoint solutions, we used live demonstrations to show stakeholders each iteration of the project in action
Living Style Guide & Design System - As design work progressed, interface components were standardized and updated through a comprehensive Style Guide, which became the basis of a readily-accessible Design System that we used the “Pattern Lab” framework to build. This greatly accelerated work on subsequent projects.
Branded Comps & Layouts - Before being passed off to the Development Team for production, finalized layouts (and any dependent states for those layouts) were produced and shared to minimize scope drift and avoid potential rework.
Testing & Validation
With each of our projects needing to reach a high bar for success, usability-testing and product validation was key.
Utilizing storyboards, interactive demos, and prototypes, we were able to gather invaluable feedback from users before finalizing designs that were handed-off to our development partners.
Deliverables Included:
- Usability-Testing.
- Process Feedback.
- Project Reviews with Stakeholders.
Usability-Testing & Stakeholder Reports - Each design stage in our “agile” process was rigorously tested with users, with the resulting feedback being the basis for redesigns and comprehensive monthly progress updates for stakeholders.